Laws of Attraction
by onceinabluemoon0013
Summary: Sparks fly when Kylo Ren, general counsel for First Order Inc., goes head to head in the courtroom against junior associate Rey Kenobi. Rival Lawyer AU
1. Chapter 1: Opening Remarks

**Here's the first chapter of a new Rey x Kylo/Ben fic that I'm writing. I posted a summary of a potential fic a couple weeks ago, and the enthusiasm was good enough that I decided to write it. I have no idea when I'll be able to update, as I still have some prompts in my Tumblr inbox and I need to finish my other Reylo story. (It's a soulmate AU if you're interested.)**

 **I had a lot of fun writing this, so I hope you enjoy it as well! Now, without any further ado, here's chapter 1! (Alternatively titled: 'Kylo Ren is an asshole of the highest order')**

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Rey Kenobi hurried into the courthouse, her black heels clacking loudly on the linoleum floor. She shivered as her body adjusted to the warmth. Parking near the Coruscant Courthouse was practically nonexistent, and the closest spot she could find was still a good five minutes from the building. The walk wouldn't have bothered her most days, but it was particularly chilly this morning, and she was anxious enough without the weather adding to her unease.

Both arms were wrapped around her bulging briefcase, clutching it tightly to her chest as she walked. Poe and Finn had gifted her with the leather case after learning she had been hired on at Organa, Skywalker, and Solo as a junior associate.

That had been one of the happiest days of her life.

Breathing heavily, Rey plopped down on a vacant bench, setting her bag beside her. She surely made quite the picture, sprawled out ungracefully as she was, but, at the moment, she really couldn't care less. The clock on the opposite wall informed her that she still had thirty minutes before she was supposed to meet Luke. She relaxed slightly. Today marked the beginning of the biggest case of her career (so far, at least), and she wanted everything to go perfectly.

The enticing aroma of coffee and freshly-baked pastries wafted down the hallway; Rey's stomach grumbled in response. In her haste to ensure that she had every document she could possibly need for today's meeting, she had completely forgotten about breakfast.

Quickly glancing at the clock again, she weighed the pros and cons before deciding that a steaming cup of coffee and a bagel would help to calm her frazzled nerves immensely. She pushed herself up from the bench and marched down the hall, following the signs pointing her towards "Jakku Java".

It seemed that not many people had ventured to the courthouse at 7:35am on this cold, dreary Monday morning. Rey took her place in line behind two other individuals, pulling out her cell phone so she could sort through her emails as she waited.

The older gentleman at the counter finished paying and stepped aside, but the man directly in front of her was too busy yelling into his phone to notice. Rey tapped him on the shoulder in a bid to get his attention, but he just shrugged her off and continued on his rant.

"Do you think I give a damn about your excuses? I needed that filed yesterday!" He was silent for a moment as whatever unfortunate soul he was talking to tried to explain themselves. His fingers tightened around the smart phone, which looked tiny in comparison to his massive hands.

"I don't care if your grandmother passed away! No matter what you have to do, fix this! Get it done by noon today, or I will be finding another assistant!" He huffed and hung up, throwing his cell phone haphazardly into his shoulder bag. He reminded Rey of a petulant toddler who'd just been told he couldn't go out to play until his chores were finished.

The barista cleared her throat, finally catching his eye. He shuffled forward, barking out his order and practically throwing his money down in front of the poor girl behind the cash register ("Susan", according to the name badge pinned to her apron). Her plastered-on smile was waning under the intensity of the man's glower.

The irritated employee turned to grab the man's coffee, muttering under her breath about 'customers from hell'. Rey covered her mouth to stifle her chuckle. On principle, she didn't like to vilify other people based on a first impression, but she understood the girl's frustration. Customer service workers deserved respect, too.

Judging by the way he had belittled his assistant, she doubted he shared that opinion.

Susan hastily poured steaming liquid into a paper cup and returned to the register with the coffee in hand. She was reaching for a lid when the man stopped her.

"Don't bother." He yanked the drink out of her grasp and pivoted abruptly.

Seconds ticked by in slow motion; Rey barely had time to realize what was coming before he rammed into her, spilling the entirety of his cup onto her brand new white blouse. She stood, unmoving, as the scalding coffee seeped into her clothes. She abstractedly registered the sound of the barista's startled gasp as she stared at her ruined shirt.

She should have expected that something like this would happen, on today of all days.

"I need another coffee."

Rey was pulled from her state of shock by the man's voice. She narrowed her eyes and looked up to see that he was now leaning over the counter as though he hadn't just emptied an entire cup of coffee on her.

"Excuse me?" Rey called, poking him aggressively in the center of his back. Susan might have to ignore his behavior as part of her job, but Rey Kenobi sure as hell didn't.

"Yes?" he sighed dramatically. As though s _he_ were inconveniencing _him_!

Whatever retort she had on the tip of her tongue, however, was completely forgotten as he turned towards her, and she got a good look at him for the first time.

The first thought that flitted through her mind was that he was ungodly tall. He towered over her five-foot-seven frame by at least six inches, even with her heels adding some height to her stature.

The second was that he had one of the most unusual faces she had ever seen on a human being.

He wasn't ugly, by any stretch of the imagination, although she wouldn't call him conventionally attractive, either. His nose seemed almost too big for his head, jutting prominently outwards as it was. His dark hair fell nearly to his shoulders, and was currently slicked back from his face with what appeared to be an excessive amount of hair gel.

The tailored black suit he wore screamed wealth and affluence, and Rey would have disliked him for that fact alone. Combined with the way he was presently glaring down at her with his green eyes, however, and Rey hated him immediately.

"Aren't you going to apologize for ruining my blouse?" She gestured to the dark blemish staining her chest and abdomen.

"Why?"

She frowned in confusion. "Why? Why what?"

"Why should I apologize to you when you were the person at fault?"

"Me?!" she sputtered indignantly. "How exactly did you manage to come to that conclusion?"

"You werestanding too close behind me," he sneered. "Honestly, it's a wonder I couldn't feel your breath on my neck. If you could reach it, that is." The asshole (because, really, what else would one call someone with such a _charming_ disposition) smirked at her.

"Besides, even if I was to blame, which I am not, I would not feel an ounce of remorse for sullying such a cheap, designer knock-off masquerading as a blouse. You should be thanking me."

"How dare you! I will have you know that this shirt cost me a month's salary, you arrogant buffoon!"

"Your insults are as witty as your fashion sense is refined," he countered drily. He pulled away from her. Rey hadn't even realized they were standing so close together.

He made a point to pick up the cooling cup of coffee that Susan had placed on the counter at some point during their spat. "As exciting as this little squabble has been, I have somewhere more important to be."

With those parting words, he brushed past her, not sparing her another glance. Rey's hands clenched into fists at her side as she walked up to the counter. Angry tears blurred her vision.

"What can I get you?" the girl asked kindly.

Rey took a deep breath and smiled at her, determined to push the unpleasant encounter to the back of her mind. Her hands were trembling as she answered, "One green tea, please." Her hands were still trembling, so caffeine was probably not a good idea at the moment.

Susan handed over the tea, waving away the money in Rey's outstretched hand. "It's on the house."

The young lawyer was in no mood to argue, so she took the offered drink without complaint. She could chastise herself later.

As she wandered through the courthouse, back towards the room where her meeting was being held, she ran into Luke, looking as calm and composed as ever. She wished, more than ever, that he could send some of that tranquility her way.

"Rey, what happened to you?" he asked, eyeing her disheveled appearance. "Are you alright?"

"I think so," she replied truthfully. Luke Skywalker had a face that persuaded everyone he met to reveal all of their secrets.

"I just had a rather horrible encounter with some jerk in the coffee line. I'll be fine."

Luke took hold of her bag, grunting exaggeratedly at the weight. Rey couldn't stop the small laugh from escaping.

"You realize this is just a pre-trial meeting, right?"

She nodded. "I know. I just wanted to make sure I didn't forget anything."

Luke grinned. "You are going to be absolutely brilliant, Rey. You've worked hard, and today is only the beginning. We will go in, discuss with the judge and First Order's law team, and then start preparing for the actual trial."

He rested a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Now, why don't you take a minute to clean yourself up and calm down. You won't be able to concentrate on the case until you do. I'll be here when you're finished."

Rey sipped her tea as she walked to the bathroom, thoughts of the asshole from earlier still swirling in her head. Luke was right, she knew. She was no good to anyone in her current state of mind.

Ten minutes later, her hair was back to the simple bun she had arranged it in that morning before leaving her apartment. She had buttoned her jacket all the way to chin to cover the coffee stain. It was a bit too warm for her liking, but it beat appearing unprofessional any day of the week.

When she arrived back at the room, she was surprised to see Luke conversing with another man. The back of his head looked vaguely familiar….

"Rey!" Luke called once he noticed her approaching. "I'd like you to meet my nephew, Ben."

"It's Kylo Ren, now, Luke," said a deep voice.

Rey froze. _Oh please no. Anyone but him._

The stranger glanced at her over his shoulder, mouth tilting up at one corner when he realized who she was.

"Y-your n-nephew?" she stuttered, gaze darting between the two men.

"Yes. Ben – no, sorry, _Kylo_ – is the general counsel for First Order, Inc. Kylo, this is my protégée, Rey Kenobi."

Kylo ( _What kind of name is that, anyway?_ ) turned towards her. She gulped as her eyes met his.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Ren."

"Oh the pleasure is all mine." The way the words rolled off his tongue reminded her of a lion closing in on its prey.

"Ms. Kenobi, I look forward to besting you in court."

 _Oh. Well,_ shit _._

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 **I apologize if there are any errors in my portrayal of proper legal technique/methodology. I researched everything I could, but, if I overlooked something, I am so sorry!**

 **What did you think? Leave a review and let me know!**


	2. Chapter 2: Discovery

**I am so happy everyone seems to be liking this story so far! I am a bit out of my element writing about the courtroom drama, so feel free to correct any errors I've made.**

 **I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. I find Kylo Ren's POV so interesting. I hope you like it as well!**

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Kylo Ren sat in his office on the 37th floor of First Order, Inc., staring blankly out the window at the bustling city below. From his vantage point, no one would know that the streets of Coruscant were a perpetual cacophony of honking horns, frenzied footfalls, and people talking at the speed of light. As he watched, miniature cars idled in a standstill while ant-sized citizens hurried to and fro, eager to reach their destinations.

Spinning halfway around in his chair, Kylo looked around the room. It was, as always, immaculate. He liked his work space to reflect how he conducted himself in the courtroom: precise, organized, and disciplined. No spare document or solitary ballpoint pen out of place.

He shuffled through the paperwork on his desk, his mind wandering to the meeting he had attended earlier that morning. He had anticipated coming face to face with his uncle for the first time in ten years, but he had not been ready for the enigma that was Luke's protégée.

He had grossly underestimated the girl.

Kylo hated when that happened.

It was not often that he found himself surprised, and a knot of apprehension welled in his gut at the feeling of being ill-prepared. Control was paramount.

He had (erroneously, it seemed) thought that she would be embarrassed and timid after their encounter, but he could not have been more wrong. After everyone was seated in the small conference room, she had briefly turned to Luke, who nodded his head in approval, before launching into a ten-minute tirade. It had been evident that she had spent hours rehearsing, and it was so well articulated that she almost swayed him to her point of view.

He had found her moderately attractive when they had run into each other at the café (though her fashion sense was utterly atrocious), with her lively eyes and fascinating facial features. She became something else altogether, however, when she started talking about the perceived injustices inflicted on her clients by his.

As she paced the room, gesturing wildly with her hands, her cheeks had flushed a pretty shade of pink, her eyes lit up with righteous indignation, and she seemed to forget that anyone else was in the room with her. The coffee stain (which, yes, in hindsight had been entirely his fault – not that he would _ever_ admit that out loud) peeked out from under her blazer, though she didn't seem to notice. If she did, she made no move to cover it up, so immersed was she in her rant.

She was passionate about this case, that much was certain. Kylo could use that to his advantage when he went head to head with her in court, so long as he did not make the mistake of misjudging her again.

Rey Kenobi was going to be a formidable opponent, but he would not let her have the upper hand. He almost looked forward to besting her.

Deciphering the mystery that was Rey Kenobi seemed a much better use of his time than slogging through the endless piles of paperwork sitting before him, so he did what any self-respecting, corporate lawyer with ample resources would do in his position.

He powered up his laptop and typed her name into Google.

There wasn't much to be found, a mere 57 results. He clicked on the first link, which directed him to the website for his family's law firm.

At the top of the page was a picture of a beaming Rey, clutching that overflowing bag he had seen her toting around earlier that day. His Uncle Luke stood to her left, one arm wrapped around the young woman. On her other side were Leia and Han Organa-Solo, both grinning widely at the camera. They looked happy, he mused, briefly wondering if they ever spared a thought for their wayward son, or if they were content with the direction their lives had taken. Kylo's fingers reached out to stroke the lines on his mother's face ( _were there that many the last time he had seen her?_ ) before he realized what he was doing.

He quickly pulled his hand away and placed it in his pocket as penance for its insubordination.

Below the photograph was a small blurb welcoming the newest member of the Organa, Skywalker, and Solo family. The words stung, but he ignored the pain. He had made his choices long ago, and it would not do to dwell on the past.

Deciding to end the trip down memory lane before he was swamped with any latent… _feelings_ about his distant family members, he pressed the back button (hitting his mouse with more force than was probably necessary) and scrolled down the results page until another link caught his eye.

It was a small article published in a newspaper he had never heard of, the Niima Post, from fifteen years prior.

 _James Kenobi, 40, and Marie Turner-Kenobi, 38, have passed away due to injuries obtained in a single car accident that occurred off of I-40 last Saturday. There is no word yet on what caused the accident. Recent evidence suggests, however, that Mr. Kenobi may have had a seizure while driving._

Kylo skimmed over the next several lines, where the writer continued to recount the ongoing investigation. Instead, his focus was drawn to the final paragraph, where a familiar name caught his eye.

 _The couple's only child, Rey Kenobi, was also inside the car at the time of the crash. Fortunately, the 13-year-old was unharmed. She will be placed in the custody of her paternal grandfather, Obi-Wan Kenobi._

Beside the story was a black and white picture of a young Rey desperately clinging to an older gentleman, who looked far too old to be taking care of a teenage girl. Rey's brunette locks were pulled back into three distinct buns, although a few tendrils had escaped and framed her face. Even in the grainy photograph, Kylo could see tear tracks running down her cheeks.

His investigation was interrupted by a brusque tap on his office door. He was about to tell the knocker to go away when the door swung open, revealing the First Order's Vice President of Human Relations.

"What do you need, Phasma?" he snapped irritably.

"Well, hello to you, too," she replied drily.

Kylo tried to discretely shut his laptop so that Phasma wouldn't notice. From the way her eyebrow raised, however, he had piqued her interest instead. _Damn it._ She always had been too observant for her own good.

"Should I be concerned about how you're spending your time at work?" she teased, looking far more amused than she had any right to be.

"Don't be ridiculous," he bit out. He was not blushing at being caught. _He wasn't._

"What did you want?" Even though he was annoyed, the words were harsher than he intended. Phasma was one of the few competent people that worked at First Order, Inc., and he really could not afford to lose her as an ally.

The tall woman seemed ready to press the issue, but she sighed in resignation instead. Kylo's shoulders relaxed slightly as she frowned at him.

"Do you have any idea why Kevin dropped these documents off at my desk, along with a letter of resignation, instead of delivering them directly to you?"

"Kevin?" The name didn't ring any bells.

"Your assistant!" she cried exasperatedly. _Oh._ Phasma slammed a stack of papers down in front of him, toppling the pile he had so carefully organized previously.

"I may have… reacted rashly when he failed to file the proper documentation for our court case next week. Though he really should have had it done days ago. It's not my fault he couldn't do his job properly." The excuse sounded weak even to him.

Phasma threw her hands in the air. "God damn it, Ren! That's the third one this month! How on earth do you plan to get anything done if you keep scaring away all of your assistants?!"

Kylo shrank under her glare. The woman could be downright terrifying when she was angry.

Phasma took a deep breath and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, she seemed much calmer than before. "No matter. If you want to be an ass to everyone around you, be my guest. But don't come crying to me when you inevitably find yourself alone."

Kylo opened his mouth to retort, but was cut off as Phasma once again spoke up.

"I almost forgot. Hux asked to see you in his office as soon as possible."

"Hux can go to hell," he muttered, just loud enough for Phasma to hear. He couldn't be sure, but he _thought_ he heard her chuckle. William Hux, VP of Research and Development, was one of the most irksome men he had ever met. "I'm busy."

"Doing what? Something so top-secret you won't even let me see your laptop screen?"

"Research for the Skywalker case. You know how important it is."

She tilted her head, staring at him as though she didn't quite believe his explanation, then straightened up. "Fine. But _you_ get to explain to Hux why you refused to meet with him. I'm done playing mediator between the pair of you."

She walked through the doorway, mumbling something that sounded suspiciously like, "Maybe the two of you could actually act like adults for once," as she left.

Kylo waited several minutes until he was sure she was gone before he reopened his laptop.

Returning to the search page, Kylo continued scrolling through the results. After several minutes of scrolling past a myriad of LinkedIn profiles and seemingly abandoned Myspace pages ( _Good lord, Rey Kenobi wasn't_ that _common of a name, was it?_ ), his cursor finally landed on something that looked promising.

It was an obituary, he realized, after he clicked on it.

 _Mr. Obi-Wan Kenobi, 80, died peacefully in his sleep Thursday evening at his home in Niima, Arizona. Ben, as he was affectionately called by those close to him, was born on November 19, 1922. A decorated war veteran, Mr. Kenobi will be sorely missed by all who were lucky enough to have known him. He is survived by his granddaughter, Rey Kenobi, 15._

He read through the passage several times before finally closing his browser window.

So much tragedy to experience at such a young age. No wonder she looked so pleased to be accepted into his family. She didn't have one.

He had a fleeting moment of empathy for the girl, though if anyone asked he would deny it until his last breath.

Pushing the information he had learned to the back of his mind, Kylo reminded himself to stay detached. This case was exceedingly important, for both himself and the company; it would not do to lose his objectivity just because his opponent had endured a not-insignificant amount of hardship in her life.

Glancing at the clock on his laptop, he was relieved to see it was nearly time to leave for the day. He typed a quick email to Hux, eloquently explaining why he had been unable to see him.

( _Billy: Can't meet. I have better things to do. Kylo._ )

The lawyer swiftly powered off his laptop and packed it into his briefcase. He donned his wool coat and grabbed his keys off his desk, double-checking that he had everything he needed before switching off the lights. Walking through the office, he spared a wave for Hux, who looked decidedly peeved.

Kylo was still grinning as he slid into his car.

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